Although
officially based on a novel by Paul Wellman, Jubal is widely regarded as an
adaptation of Shakespeare's Othello, with Ernest Borgnine as Othello, Glenn
Ford as Cassio and Rod Steiger as Iago. The script follows the play by and
large but some characters have been merged and Steiger's Pinky (Iago's
counterpart in the movie) has been given different motivations for his
subversive activities.

Ford is
Jubal (1), a man on the run (not for the law but for himself) who's given
shelter on Shep Horgan's ranch. Horgan's right hand, Pinky, takes an immediate
disliking to Jubal, who quickly becomes Shep's confidant. When Jubal is named forehand
by Horgan, Pinky feels passed over and his envy grows when he discovers that Mrs.
Horgan is openly flirting with Jubal. Mae Morgan is much younger than her
husband and has never loved him; she married him on impulse because he promised
her a palace (and gave her a ranch instead). Pinky has always lived under the
idea that he could win Mrs. Horgan's heart, and is determined to destroy the
man who has ruined his chances ...

Jubal was
popular among critics, who praised is for its intelligent scripting and
emotional depth, but to large audiences director Delmer Daves is better known
for movies like the pro-Indian Broken Arrow(1950) or the psychological drama 3:10 to Yuma (1957). Like most
Shakespeare adaptations Jubal is a bit too talkative and explicatory, notably
in relation to Ford's character, but even in western form it's easily sensed
how strong the story material is. There'shardly any action but suspense is mounting and due to the
changes made to the storyline even those who know their Shakespeare will often wonder
what's going to happen next. The Wyoming landscape is lush and green, and forms
a perfect background for this stirring drama (or melodrama).

As said,
some changes were made to Shakespeare's original storyline. This is
understandable, some ofShakespeare's
plot devices are
easily misunderstood when transferred to another period and place. The complex
plot about trust, jealousy, betrayal and resentment has been turned into a romantic
drama, more in keeping with expectations of fifties' audiences. The most
important mutation is the omittance of the Roderigo character, in the play the
person who is in love with Desdemona (and is manipulated by Iago). Roderigo was
merged with Iago, who is now both Othello's (that is Shep's) frustrated right
hand and Desdemona's (Mrs. Morgan's) frustrated lover.

Thanks to
this mutation the story may seem more neatly arranged (too many characters
often hurt a script) but it has some side-effects which harm the Iago/Pinky
character, played by Rod Steiger. In spite of the title, Othello is very much
centered around Iago, who has more lines than the titular character.He's no
doubt one of the most sinister villains in world literature, a manipulator and
conspirator, vile but clever, skillful in deceiving others, almost charming in
his persistent wickedness. This shrewd person is far removed from Steiger's
loud-voiced, sexually obsessed Pinky, who's simply irritating and pathetic.

Like some
have mentioned (2), Ford moves a little like James Dean
in some scenes - shifting shyly away from people, smiling uncomfortably when making a
revelation - apparently because his character was supposed to be a lot younger,
and irresistible to women. Ford is not the greatest Don Juan in film history,
but he's very good in these ambiguous roles of the stranger with a past, an
intruder creating both uneasiness and expectations. Borgnine still seems in his
Marty mood, copying the vivid portrayal of a warm-hearted but unattractive man
that had brought him an Oscar the year before (3). Some of the supporting
actors are very strong too, notably Charles Bronson as a drifter who befriends
Ford and joins him as a cowpoke on Borgnine's ranch. Jack Elam is deliciously sinister as one of Steiger's dubious friends.

Jubal seems
to have all one could ask for in a fifties western drama: great actors, great
scenery, emotions flaring up ... even the action scenes, sparse and brief, are
well-staged and exciting, and yet for decades it has been an almost completely
forgotten movie. However, a few recent DVD and Blu-ray releases seem to have
garnered some well-deserved attention for it.

Notes:

* (1) The
name Jubal appears in the Hebrew Bible. He's a descendant of Cain and a brother
of Jabal. There seems to be no symbolic connection to Ford's character.

Genesis
4,21:

His
brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed
instruments and pipes.

* (3) Ironically,
Steiger had also played the role of Marty, in the original teleplay by Paddy
Chayefski, aired in 1953. The teleplay was adapted into a feature length movie
in 1955. Chayefski also scripted the movie, but Borgnine took over the role
from Steiger. His performance was widely praised, but Chayefsky himself seemed
to have preferred Steiger in the part. Maybe Delmer Daves reckoned the rivalry
between the Marty 1 & Marty 2 would help his movie.

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